Mhlaka 12 Mfumfu, ngomnyaka ka-1492, iqula lemikhumbi emithathu elalikhokhelwa yisizalwane sakwele Spain, uChristopher Columbus, lafika esihlengeni esesibizwa ngokuthi yiBahamas okwamanje.
Ukufika kwaleli qula kunanzwa minyaka yonke kwele Melika, njengekhefu eleColumbus Day, lapho okwaqala ukunikwana lokutshintshana ukudla, izihlahla, izifuyo, inyamazana, izithelo, amaluba lokunye phansi kohlelo olwanikwa igama lokuthi yiColumbian Exchange. Kungaleso sizatho ingcwethi zembali ziqakathekisa umnyaka ka1492.
Inani labantu emhlabeni jikelele selakhuphuka ngokuphethwe kane kusukela ngalowo mnyaka ka 1492, ikakhulu phakathi komnyaka ka1650 lo 1850. Lanxa kungela zizatho ezisobala sokukhuphuka kwaleli nani ingcwethi zenhlalakahle yabantu zithi lokhu kungabe kwabangelwa yikutholakala langokulungiswa kokudla okwaqalisela ekulethweni kwalokho kudla ngokuthengiselana abantu bekuntshintshana ngemphahla, amatshe aligugu, izifuyo lokunye, ikakhulu ukutholakala kokudla okwakuvela kuzithelo lezilinywa ezinjengomumbu, amagwili, amathamathisi, amazambane indumba zecocoe lezinye izilimo, ezazilinywa ngabatholakala behlala eMelika ababizwa ngokuthi ngamaNative Americans.
Amagwili ahle aba yikudla okwathakazalelwa ngabanengi ikakhulu abangabayanga emazweni wasemhlubulweni owe Europe. Umumbu lokunye kwasiwa ezwekazi leAfrica lawo wathakazalelwa okwamagama ngeminyaka yabo sixteenth century ngabensundu, wahle wathatha isikhundla sokudla konke kwaseAfrica, udliwa unjalo kumbe ukucholwa ube yimpuphu abensundu bawamukela ngoba nxa usuyimpupu ungaphekwa bawubona ubasuthisa njalo uqinisa umzimba nxa udliwa lezitshebo ezehlukeneyo, okungumkhuba olokhu usenzakala okwamanje.
Ukusiwa kwele China ukudla okunjengamagwili, umumbu, amazambani, kubikwa kwakhuphula inani labantu bakulelozwe phakathi kweminyaka yabo 1500 kusiya ku1650. Kusiya fika u-Eighteenth century, isilinganiso sabantu esedlula okukodwa kokuthathu sasesitholakala kwele China.
Uhlelo olwasungulwa nguColumbus olweColumbian Exchange lubikwa lwasabalala emazweni womhlaba abemikhumbi besiya emazweni lokudla lemphahla ethile besiyantshintshana okwenza ukudla okunengi kwafika emazweni okwakuvele kungatholakali khona. Phambilini kuka1492, kwakungela ama orange, esigabeni seFlorida,kweleMelika, kwakungela mabanana kweleEcuador, kwakungela bilebile le-paprika kwele Hungary.
Uhlelo olweColumbian Exchange yilo olubikwa lwaletha amathamthisi kwele Italy, i-coffee kwele Colombia lakwele Indonesia, ama-pineapples esigabeni se- Hawaii, eMelika, izihlahla zerubber ezwekazi le Africa, ibilebile le-pepper kweleThailand, China lakwele India, kanye le chocolate kwele Switzerland.
Ukufika kwequla lemikhumbi emithathu ezihlengeni zeBahamas ngo1492 kwahle kaguqula imbali yamazwe womhlaba ngokuphethelane lokudla. Lokhu kwahle kwaguqula lokuqondisa imbali yelakusasa lamazwe womhlaba, hatshi ngokutholakala kwezwekazi elalingazisayo kuphela kodwa kwahle kwasungulwa indlela yokukhulumisana ngokuntshintshana kokudla okwakuthwala ngemikhumbi kuvela kwelinye izwekazi kusiya kwelinye.
Kusabelwana amacebo kwasnungulwa inhlelo zamabhizimusi zokuthengiselana kwalokhu kudla okwebanga laphezulu okwacina kuthuthukisa ubudlelwano bezizwe ezitshiyeneyo zomhlaba, ngoba imikhumbi yabonakala ukuba yayithwala ukudla lemphahla kusiwa emagumbini amane womhlaba lula.
Ngomnyaka ka 1492, kulapho abantu bamazwe atshiyeneyo lemikhuba etshiyeneyo bamanyaniswa khona baba ngumanyano munye wezizwe zomhlaba bemanyaniswa yikudla.